Sunday, September 11, 2005

Huge big fat success. Boy, I wish we had taped the day! Every kind of music you would want...and The Best Musicians!

From Traditional Old-Time, to Non-traditional Old-Time, to Swing, to Bluegrass, to Clawgrass, to Rock and Roll, to Celtic, to Singer-Songwriter, to Cracker Grass, to Boogie Woogie, to Soul...we had it all...

Big thanks to all the musicians and the dancers who came out in force.

Saturday, September 10, 2005

Ahhh, geez. I'm beat. This has been a wild week. Crisis in the wake of a hurricane. Shame on us. Flood, death, despair, loss, shock. What can you do?

Tom got on it. He organized a big fat festival for hurricane relief. Tara at the GDMA found the building...the City of Gainesville is giving us the Thelma Boltin Center from noon to 10pm. And, dearys, the musicians came out in force for this one. Lookit, there are only so many hours, and so many stages, but the talent! Holy hootis!

Whitey Markle and the Swamprooters, Boilin' Oil, Tuck Tucker Band, Mark Johnson Band, Mike Boulware Band, Joe First, Folk Jam 99, And All That, Neil & Valerie, Edy Richmond, Palm Valley, Art Crummer, Paula, Mack & Friends, Full Circle, Turkey Scratch Ramblers, and then, there are the dance bands. Screech Malone Old Time Band, Physical Medicine, Flying Turtles String Band, and Lloyd Baldwin & Friends will be be playing for contra dances. Several dance groups will be demonstrating their respective things, and there will be a jam tent outside under the trees.

There is no cover charge. All contributions will be given to the American Red Cross. We're hoping that some of y'all will decide to be especially generous. Yes, we're going to give you a fun day of distraction...but there is a reason that all these musicians and dancers are donating their time and talent. We want to raise the fattest wad of money that we can.

Please come on out...support this effort to give some folks a hand up!